The D and the D...

So, I have played more than my share of computer RPGs in my time, stretching back to the painfully thin "Akalabeth" and continuing to this day (btw, Mom, I still haven't forgiven you for throwing out my mint condition Ultima ][ with the cloth map). But my actual pen and paper experience is rather limited (consisting mainly of a painful runthrough of the first DragonLance scenario back in the early 80s, where the DM's misunderstanding of a critical encounter resulted in a total party wipe and the premature end of the campaign).

It's actually kind of been my secret shame - when my friends would talk about their campaigns, I'd nod my head enthusiastically, hoping that nobody would actually ask me about my non-existent character and expose me for the fraud that I am (I needn't have worried - turns out that most people are quite happy to tell you all about their noble character, but couldn't care less for whatever rabble you're pushing around the virtual world).

That, however, is soon to come to an end, as my wife and I have been invited to join a D&D 3.5 campaign that a friend of mine is starting up. We spent last night rolling up our characters and doing a little prologue with the DM to set the stage for the campaign to come. I'd forgotten just what a visceral experience it is to start with a blank sheet of paper, and roll actual physical dice until a fully formed character is lying on the table in front of me (Halen, Cleric of Kiri-Jolith). And I'm totally in love with the 3.5 system - it's fairly simple, but there's this huge smorgasbord of skills, and feats, and prestige classes, and... wow. I bought the Player's Handbook and just devoured it, cover to cover.

My friend left us with a bit of a cliff hanger at the end of the prologue - I felt like I was 13 years old again, walking out of The Empire Strikes Back, sputtering "But, uh, wait! That can't be the end! It was just getting good! Awwwwwww.....".

I can't wait.